Stories about Women & Gender from May, 2007
Iran:Islamic Bicycle
Iran is to start manufacturing “Islamic bicycles” for women that conceal their figure.Balouch writes[Fa] with irony that it took 30 years for regime to be able to go to war against “international economy”.
Iran:Islamic Bicycle
Iran is to start manufacturing “Islamic bicycles” for women that conceal their figure.Balouch writes[Fa] with irony that it took 30 years for regime to go to war against “international economy”.
India: Sexism and the Internet
Noah's Ark Broken on sexism on the internet. “All of this leads me to wonder when this is going to catch up with us here in India. So far, women bloggers have been relatively safe because the blogosphere is dominated by a handful of left leaning liberals, many of whom...
India: Women Vs Liquor
My Himachal on women protesting against liquor stores. “During past one month more than fifty Mahila Mandals of the district have registered their strong protests with the Sub Divisional Magistrates of their areas and Deputy Commissioner of the district against the liquor meanness which was now approaching their rural homes.”
Japan: Marriage and “Casual Infidelity”
Shari at My So-Called Japanese Life has a thoughtful piece on the way in which Japanese people, as compared to Americans, view marriage. She writes: “It's always been my impression that the Japanese set the bar “lower” when it comes to the romance part of marriage and “higher” when it...
Libya: On Women's Attire
Writing from Tripoli, Libya, Iranian blogger Mrs Behi says: “Here in Libya I haven’t seen a couple walking in the street hand in hand. It seems to me as if taking this simple act of closeness feels very strange to them! And also you can rarely see any woman at...
First female head of Togolese press agency celebrates first anniversary
Agence Togolaise de Presse Atop, the Togolese press agency, celebrates its 32nd anniversary and the first anniversary of its new director, Claudine Assiba, the first woman to ever head a public media organization in Togo. In an interview (Fr) she says, “men and women have the same rights, the same...
French Polynesia's Beauty Pageant Fever
In May, French Polynesia, where even the smallest island communities host their own beauty pageants, choose a new Miss Tahiti, a Miss Pirae, and a Miss Dragon. The islands have seen a proliferation of pageants in recent years, including a “Miss Hinano,” named for a Tahitian beer, and a “Miss...
Senegal: A debate over feminism and women's work
Blog Politique du Senegal, Naomed describes a visit to a profitable garden in Casamance, where women produce vegetables for market. He notes that there was not a single male older than 10 in sight and all of the work was being done by women. One reader praises the bravery of...
Russia: Blog Ranking
Krusenstern, host to the Blog-Carnival Russian Media (in 11 days now!), posts a ranking of Russia blogs (in German), and Siberian Light writes about it in English.
Russia: A Tale of Two Women
Moscow-based expat blogger Laura Citron shares “A Tale of Two Russian Women” over at nEUrosis.
Iran:Violence against Women Goes On
According to[Fa] Kanoune Zanan,Iranian police continues its crackdown on women’s dress and there is a new victim.A young woman was beaten by police in Tehran. A citizen could take a few photos of her.People could make her got rid of the security forces who wanted to force her in their...
Morocco: The Week of Firsts
It was a week of firsts in Morocco - with the first French Minister of Moroccan descent, the first newspaper and the first wine store. Jillian York has more in this report.
Which father is my real father?: Japan's 300-day rule
In early May, the Japanese government announced that it will take a special measure to recognise children born within 300 days of their mother's divorce, given that the mothers became pregnant after divorce. This announcement came after a group of divorced women with children raised the issue on the current...
Russia: “Discrimination”
It sometimes takes more than money and time to have your computer fixed in Moscow: good looks, lots of patience and a special sense of humor may prove helpful as well. LJ user kmaka reports on a recent conversation with a technical support service representative.
Kuwait: Food, Protocol and Dust Storms
What is the difference between Chicken Majboos and Chicken Biryani? How do you react when you are suddenly face to face with the Amir (Ruler) of Kuwait? And how do you survive a dust storm? These are just some of the issues Kuwaiti bloggers are discussing this week and which Abdullatif Alomar keeps us updated with.
Iran:Woman Activist is out of Jail
Zeynabeh Peyambarzadeh,journalist and woman activist is out of jail. She is a member of the “One Million Signatures Campaign Demanding an End to Discriminatory Laws against Women.”
Morocco: Free Haleh Estandiari
Moroccan blogger Laila Lalami calls for the signing of a petition to free Iranian-American scholar Haleh Esfandiari, the director of the Middle East Programme at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars, was detained in Iran on December 30.
Africa: my dad reached over and slapped me across the face…
Dear Seun: “What happened next shocked me, my dad reached over and slapped me across the face. “Liar”, he shouted. “Am I raising a prostitute and a liar? You know what the bible says about these things. So if you don'thave a boyfriend, who were you saying i love you...
Kurdistance: The Honor Killing of Dua
This may seem like old news....but it isn't. Even though the tragic honor killing of a young girl in Northern Iraq/Southern Kurdistan took place in early April, sometimes the meaning of these sad stories take a while to surface. There are conflicting reports about how 17-year-old Dua died, some say that she was lynched, some stoned to death, others say both. What we do know was that Dua was a young girl in love, who left her Yezidi faith to live her life with a man that she loved. She was brave and idealistic; and she died horribly because of it. A mob of Yezidi men dragged her into the street, tore her clothes to shame her, and then the mob killed her...the final blow being a large rock taken to her head. And someone filmed this horror, which is floating around the internet somewhere if you truly wish to see it. What is important, is that this tragedy not only is sad in the individual sense of this girl's death, it is also sad in what it signifies for a culture and society eager to change, but unable to, as the Kurdish bloggers point out.
Iran: Police Officer Kicks Woman
Iranian authorities are fighting against women on at least two fronts. On one side, women activists protesting for equal rights are sent to prison and persecuted. On the other side, Iranian police officers continue with a nationwide crackdown aimed at making women abide by Iran's Islamic dress code. Although the...
